Writer-Director Hayao Miyazaki is renowned for the gorgeousness of his feature length animations, and storylines that combine indigenous Japanese elements with supernatural whimsy. In a world of Disney princesses, let us give thanks for family entertainment in which an eccentric castle roams the countryside on chicken legs, a stink spirit wreaks havoc in a bathhouse, and a fur-lined cat bus transports passengers at top speed.
The first generation of American children to have grown up on Miyazki films — My Neighbor Totoro was released in the States in 1993 — has entered their college years. A portion of them will have eagerly sought out his latest offering, a semi-autobiographical tale directed by his son, Goro. Some will have felt themselves too mature for such fare. Being college students, both groups are likely to be horking down a fair amount of cheap packaged ramen noodles.
As evidenced above, Miyazaki has some pretty specific ideas on what to do with those. Preparing a late night workplace dinner for his Spirited Away team, the great director rivals Good Fellas’ sliced garlic maven Paul Sorvino for culinary sang-froid. Stuffing ten blocks of the stuff into a single pot might get an ordinary mortal voted off of Top Chef, but aside from that Miyazaki’s staff meal is an excellent, instant tutorial for those interested in souping up low budget, collegiate cuisine.
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Ayun Halliday’s favorite moment is when Totoro and the children make the camphor tree grow. Follow her @AyunHalliday
Awesome! Now I cant stop myself from mentally running through each Miyuzaki fim in my head and counting up each time a character in makes or eats ramen- seems like a lot! Aside from the spirited away pigs, I think the short ramen scene in Ponyo is my favorite!
Miyuzaki style Ramen is definitely going on the menu in my house this week!
We are big Miyazaki fans at my house and ramen fans as well. Thanks for this! :)
I can’t imagine Scorsese making pasta for the crew. Miyazaki’s sometimes shocking and grotesque imagery will now always be softened by his kindly ramen routine, and his beautiful imaginings will be that much more enjoyable. I feel sorry for anyone that has missed the opportunity to see at least one of his masterpieces!
“In a world of Disney princesses, let us give thanks…” Amen, sister. There are no stupid sidekicks in HM’s movies either and the only girls he writes are strong and independent.
I happen to know that ramen clip because it is a DVD extra. My family doesn’t really own that many movies. The exception? Every Miyazaki in print.
How lovely! It was an extra treat to hear some of the music in the background. I heard at least two from Miyazaki movies. It just warms my heart to see him do this for all his workers — from the movies I’ve always figured he was a real mensch, and it seems this is so. I’m so grateful to have raised my girl on his movies! You are so right Porco Rosso (ha, by the way!)!
even in making ramen he needs assistants… ^^
by the way, don’t forget that man working with Miyazaki and Takahata who died from “karoshi” (“death from overwork”).
as i expectected, when the video voiced to add powder, instantly my sense detected usual penny pincher business of japanese business policy. the nothing is free to offer to public which we appreciate to accept here we enjoy our daily live. just look around how many of informative papers in our gta is providing to several ethnic markets. we all live in probably only the country offering us this valuable infos for free.
missing the powder of ingriedents?
A red diaper baby I met in college told me that one of the first things he learned in life was from one of his father’s employees. The employee told him “Never work for a Leftist.” This video clip is a perfect example. The guy is driving his workers to exhaustion within an inch of their lives and what does he feed them? Ramen with eggs. Do you think the profit from his films went to his employees or to his retirement fund?
So, it looks like mushrooms and gobo for the veggie part…Any other ideas?
” Writer-Director Hayao Miyazaki is renowned for the gorgeousness of his feature length animations” Nice article, but most people working in animated film dislike the term “animations” . Animations is not a real word. It is a term invented by writers with no understanding of what we do. Animators prefer ” Animation, Animated film, or Cartoons”